Milestone Systems Quick guide: Search and export video evidence XProtect Smart Client 2017 R3
Searching and exporting video in XProtect Smart Client After an incident occurs, it is important that you can investigate the video to determine what happened, and when it happened. Searching for an exact moment in hours of recorded video can be time consuming. However, the investigation tools available in XProtect Smart Client can help speed up the process, so that you can quickly and accurately find and export the relevant video. This document describes how to use XProtect Smart Client to investigate recorded video to find an incident, and how to export the recorded video. Advanced and simplified modes XProtect Smart Client comes in two modes: A simplified and an advanced mode. In the simplified mode, you can perform only the most basic tasks. To do the tasks described in this quick guide, you need to work in the advanced mode. Click the Toggle Mode button to switch modes. Investigate recordings To investigate recordings, use the features on the Playback tab. The illustration shows the Playback tab. The Playback tab provides the following tools to search recorded video: A timeline that you can drag to browse the video recordings.
A go to feature where you can enter a specific moment in time. Smart Search that lets you search for motion in selected areas of a recording. Sequence Explorer that lets you investigate sequences from selected cameras. Video timeline You can use the video timeline in simplified or advanced mode. The timeline mode follows the mode of XProtect Smart Client. For example, if you view XProtect Smart Client in simplified mode, the timeline also appears in simplified mode. The graphic below illustrates the timeline in advanced mode. Use the timeline The timeline displays an overview of periods with recordings from the cameras that your current camera view includes. XProtect Smart Client displays the following timelines: The upper timeline shows the selected camera s recording periods. The lower timeline is the timeline for all cameras in the view, including the selected camera. Click here to select a specific go-to time and date Click and drag the timeline left or right to go forward or backward in the recordings - or use the scroll wheel on your mouse Red color in the timeline shows recordings based on motion The timeline displays in the following colors: Light red indicates recordings Red indicates motion Light green indicates incoming audio Green indicates outgoing audio
Adjust the scope of your search To make your search easier, you can adjust the scope of your search by using the Time Span slider to change the span of time you are viewing. The scope can be from five minutes to up to four weeks. The illustration shows the Time Span slider. Smart Search Smart Search is an ideal tool for searching video for motion in selected areas. For example, Smart Search is useful when you want to identify when a specific package was removed from a shelf, or when a person entered through the back door. Run a smart search The Smart Search workspace is available on the Sequence Explorer tab. To set up and run a search, follow these steps: 1. Click Smart Search and select a camera. 2. Under Period, set a time-frame for the search. 3. To specify where to search, in the masked image, click and drag to unmask one or more areas. 4. To select a starting point for your search, drag the timeline, or click the blue time indication to go to a specific moment in the video. The thumbnails display the sequences, where motion was detected, for the time-frame you specified.
5. Select a video sequence to play back the video. The system searches for motion in the selected areas. The green color in the view indicates motion found by Smart Search.
Export the video After you locate the video evidence, you can export it. The following illustration shows the steps to perform an export in the advanced layout. Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Click to turn on time selection mode Use the square brackets to select a start and end time for the export Select the cameras you want to include in the export Click Export, and then select Export
After you click Export, the Export dialog box appears: Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Enter a name for the export file Click Add item to add the cameras Specify the export destination Select a format for the export Click Start Export to start the export Note: You can also export video in simplified mode. To do this, you must switch to simplified mode, go to the Playback tab, and click the Export button. Export formats Format XProtect Description Export video from multiple cameras at the same time, and with digital zoom capability. This option requires the following: You must use the XProtect Smart Client - Player to view the video. You must be running Windows on your computer to view the video. By default, XProtect Smart Client - Player is included when you export in the XProtect format. It does not require any setup. Media player Export video from multiple cameras as separate video clips that you can view by using a standard media player. For example, Windows Media Player.
Still image Export still images. DID YOU KNOW? You can hide areas of the video content by adding privacy masks on areas in the image. For example, privacy masks are useful when you do not want viewers to see sensitive content. You can display important instructions or guidelines by adding comments to your export file. Sequence Explorer The Sequence Explorer tab lets you slice recorded video into sequences of video clips. You can specify the length of the video in each clip. This makes it easier to find particular video clips. For example, this is useful when you want to find an event, such as the moment someone left an object behind. The system displays video clips as thumbnails. You can compare the thumbnails side-by-side, and move forward and backward in the sequence. When you want to view a video clip, click the thumbnail for instant playback.
Investigate and export sequences of video The following illustration shows the Sequence Explorer tab. Note that the video clips in the thumbnails can come from more than one camera. Select one or more cameras to run the sequence search on Use the time slicer to specify the length of the video to include in thumbnails. For example, that each thumbnail contains 30 seconds of video Click Export to export the event If you want to investigate the event on the Playback tab, click here to synchronize the time on the Playback tab with the time in the video viewer To view video associated with a particular thumbnail, click the thumbnail. The selected thumbnail is highlighted, and the video clip plays back in the upper right corner.
About Milestone Systems Milestone Systems is a leading provider of open platform video management software; technology that helps the world see how to ensure safety, protect assets and increase business efficiency. Milestone enables an open platform community that drives collaboration and innovation in the development and use of network video technology, with reliable and scalable solutions that are proven in more than 150,000 sites worldwide. Founded in 1998, Milestone is a stand-alone company in the Canon Group. For more information, visit: http://www.milestonesys.com.